So you want to own a winery in Italy, Germany, France? you name it....Bettina can fill your needs. Oh, and she will sell you a winery in Napa too! Listen as we role play as a potential client who wants to buy a winery in Montalcino, Italy. All of us look in on the lifestyle of a vineyard owner and think "this is my dream." And for many, it is a dream that comes true...but then to find out what the real dream is...but then again, there are those that make their dreams come true and it is exactly ...
Apr 25, 2023•55 min•Season 15Ep. 8
In 1990 when 60 minutes released the evidence that supported the healthy consumption of wine in the French Paradox, the world learned that wine can be part of a healthy lifestyle. Lifestyle coaches Gina and Angie took a minute before a conference on the very subject to talk to Wine Talks about including wine in your daily routine. Of course, they were enjoying a glass of Rombauer Chardonnay as they were headed to the pool, hey wait, that is some kind of lifestyle conference! Have a listen.
Apr 20, 2023•52 min•Season 15Ep. 7
You can't help but be in complete aw when speaking with Dan Berger. He has been writing about wine for so many decades that when he writes about wine, he transcends normal conversation. And because of this cast experience, you don't feel intimidated by this knowledge, you leave inspired. Have a listen as we catch up of Riesling, the industry, wine writing and dozens of more subject...there never seems to be enough time when speaking with Dan.
Apr 18, 2023•58 min•Season 15Ep. 7
There is so much "inside baseball" in the wine trade. We all know what each other is doing. There are not many secrets and when one is exposed...well, it is no longer a secret. What is fascinating to me is the consistent attempts to create something new. For 35 years, new ideas have crossed the tasting room here and none of them are really new; just regurgitated ideas from previous generations. How can there be anything new...the product is over 9000 years old. Putting wine in different containe...
Apr 13, 2023•34 min•Season 15Ep. 6
In 1969, Ed approached Palos Verdes Wines and Spirits to sell my father advertising space in the Peninsula News; thus started a love affair with wine. Ed wrote the book, Shortcuts On Wine as a simple approach to understanding wine and has lectured at UCLA and many adult schools and has made wine and has worked in most facets of the wine industry. Not only is it educational when he stops by but entertaining as it seems his filter is waning. We talk of the old days, the current days, and the days ...
Apr 11, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 15Ep. 5
As your first soirée into wine study, one might say study Bordeaux and particularly the Classification of 1855. Here Napoleon III ordered a ranking of wine of the Medoc for the Paris Exhibition of 1855. Here you will find fascinating wines, fascinating history and fascinating pedigree. And that is what we have here in this podcast with Guillaume-Alexander Marx. The four first growth Bordeaux (now there are five) were Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau La Tour, Chateau Margaux and todays podcast ...
Apr 06, 2023•57 min•Season 15Ep. 4
She came home from work and had a hankering for a glass of wine and as she reached to open, her husband made a face. "What?" she inquired. "You are just going to drink one glass and waste the rest!" he replied. Thus was born the idea of Wander and Ivy wines; a single serve flight of wines from all over the wine world served in187ml bottles (a 1/4 of a bottle.) Dana has been featured on many podcasts and written about in many trade magazines Though the idea of 187ml bottles of wine is not new, th...
Apr 04, 2023•50 min•Season 15Ep. 3
Wine is really about history. What other product do you deliberately wit 20 years to explore, what other product can you take half way around the world and say “This is who we are and when we are” I was thinking about the phrase after my conversation with Kira and with picture perfect recollection of wine history, the saying needs to be “This is who were and when we were before that.” Meaning, the history of the culture if wine rolls up to secure a place in the next bottling. For Kira, her vast ...
Mar 30, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 15Ep. 2
All of a sudden there are have been two Friulian wine houses in studio when for years there had only been on in here prior. Why? The world of Italian wine is complicated and can take years to understand. And as one studies this world, the region of Friuli will inevitably become a topic of conversation. It is no wonder that with Tre Bicchieri in town (Italian wine show), that these houses stopped by for a conversation. Meet Massimo Furlan from the winery Le Monde. What is so interesting is the co...
Mar 28, 2023•44 min•Season 15Ep. 1
What is fascinating about the Italian wine scene is the variety and distinct differences between their primary wine regions. And don’t look over the fact there are over 2000 wine varieties in Italy, some still being discovered today. Emiliano Morando visited Wine Talks to walk us through the history of this wine region in the north west of Italy. the geography of Piemonte hosts many influences to create wines of grit to wines of elegance. Have a listen.
Mar 23, 2023•55 min•Season 14Ep. 20
The minute she walked into the studio, the crew knew this conversation would have little restraint. A practice communicator of not only all things wine but wine with the Latin market. Her tag is The Modern Pour and she is dynamic and funny. Her tagline is “not a pale male stale giving wine advice” and that she ain’t. You will be educated and entertained by Elle and her outlook on wine… and life! Have a listen.
Mar 21, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 14Ep. 19
Understanding Italian wines takes study and patience. With over 2000 wine grape varieties in the country, it is hard to sort them out. When you break down the country, there is a bit more clarity with grape varieties but little local varieties will confuse you. Umbria, just south of Tuscany, follows suit. Unlike its northern neighbor, it does not grow Sangiovese as the mainstay red grape but grows Sagrantino instead. Valentino Valentina will sort it all out for you.
Mar 16, 2023•44 min•Season 14Ep. 18
There is so much to know and understand about the wine diversity just between the two islands, let alone the wine diversity among each island, that New Zealand is recognized with exemplary wines. Simone Kelly stopped in for a conversation and helps us get the lay of the land as we start in the North and work our way down. The Seresin wines are firm in structure and give great insight into where they are grown. Have a listen.
Mar 14, 2023•54 min•Season 14Ep. 17
Walking the aisles of the Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas earlier this year, a gentleman stuck a sparkling wine glass in my face and said “Do you like wine?” I responded, “Is this a joke?” He went on to tell me that this was an Italian non-alcoholic sparkling wine that he and his wife had created. I have tasted many non-alcoholic wines and they all suck. With trepidation, I tasted it. This was a decent wine. I was shocked and impressed. Come on my show I said…turns out he is in So Cal and I met Mar...
Mar 02, 2023•48 min•Season 14Ep. 14
Wine Talks first sat with Rex in 2021 as he was pondering a Sideways musical. In just a few years, the musical is touring Spain to sold-out crowds and he is holding Sideways concerts in Napa Valley. We caught up with Rex in Napa Valley recently to find out what he had up his sleeve and to recapture some of the great moments in the movie. Rex explained the complicated relationship between the author and screen writer and more importantly tells us of the new stuff coming down the pike. I, for one,...
Feb 28, 2023•51 min•Season 14Ep. 13
Once in a while, you run into someone who is a force of nature and come away with “I want her on my team.” This is Jessica Kogan. You must realize that sometimes there are people smarter than you and that there are people that have landed in their rightful place with an innate understanding of their craft. This is Jessica Kogan. There are those people who when you leave their presence have to reflect on what just happened. This is Jessica Kogan. Listen for yourself to see if you agree…
Feb 23, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 14Ep. 12
Etude is exemplary in its approach to sustainability. When Jon told me during our interview that the sheep were out on the south 40 aerating and churning the soil and mulching the vegetation, it conjured up a vision of old. This type of farming and wine production is a discipline more than a method. It is too easy to let the process go for simpler less sustainable methods. And for Jon, the discipline is real. We got into the weeds (pun intended) on farming, winemaking, community responsibility, ...
Feb 21, 2023•57 min•Season 14Ep. 11
The concept of organic wine farming is really quite old. If you think about it, vineyards were organic for thousands of years before the invention and use of pesticides. Katrina and her husband were the first certified organic vineyards in California and if that wasn’t enough, they became the first biodynamic vineyard certified in California. A fabulous conversation that took us in many directions…but one thing is for sure, the wines are extraordinary and are exemplary versions of organic exampl...
Feb 16, 2023•57 min•Season 14Ep. 10
The study of wine will take you all over the world. It is fascinating and intoxicating (pun intended). It is said that all roads of wine curiosity lead to Burgundy. The history, the lifestyle, the wines, and the people. Meet one of the most influential people who help shape not only today’s landscape of Burgundy but the landscape of Burgundy’s future. Frédéric truly believes there is a steward of the land for the next generations, which takes extreme humility. This is the word I would use to des...
Feb 14, 2023•50 min•Season 14Ep. 9
The formidable Winc is in bankruptcy under the rules of Chapter 11. They were one of the largest Direct To Consumer wine companies in America and they failed. The business failing is one thing, and that happens all the time for various reasons. I am speaking of the failure to the consumer. To the trusting aspiring wine buyer who was hoping they were on to something cool. Business failure is felt by the banks, by the suppliers by the employees, but the failure to the consumer wreaks havoc on trus...
Feb 09, 2023•28 min•Season 14Ep. 8
After Mathew Kaner was on the show, we received a call from Keith stating he needed to come on and talk all things wine. After 30 seconds of our initial call, I said “when can you come on?”. This guy got it. Wine really is about the soul. It is about transformation. It is about the story. It is about humanity. If you want to really understand the humanity of wine and its impact on the soul, listen here, listen now.
Feb 02, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Season 14Ep. 6
From Cornell University studying Hospitality to becoming an entrepreneur stopping on the way for an Enology degree, Maryam Ahmed is learned and articulate. Engaging in conversation with a point of view is how the needle moves. We moved the needle today with an invigorating conversation on diversity, wine, and marketing in our industry. Some things we saw the same way, and some things we saw differently. Hear her now.
Jan 31, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 14Ep. 5
The enthralling Carolyn Covington, aka The American Wine Girl, had her aha wine moment on a trip to Florence, Italy where she learned that wine was an art form. This revelation took her to learn the industry and become WSET 3 certified; taking this knowledge to teach wine and to teach how to drink good wine on a budget, Carolyn has become a wine influencer of repute. Listen now. Cheers, PK
Jan 26, 2023•55 min•Season 14Ep. 4
Justin Trabue drives back and forth between Paso Robles and Napa Valley to hone her craft. Between learning the value of each district, she is also working towards raising the people of color coefficient in the wine industry; an important objective industry side. It takes the Justin Trabue’s of the world to initiate change in a stalwart industry such as wine. You can hear the determination in her voice and her path is defined to get to the next step in her pursuit. Have a listen and get inspired...
Jan 24, 2023•49 min•Season 14Ep. 3
She wants wine to be an approachable beverage to all. Passionate about removing barriers for women and people of color into the wine industry, Chasity has covered the gamut of places to create the force. She enjoys the camaraderie of the trade and likes speaking wine-geek, but throttles herself when among family and friends…thus creating the “bougie” wine cousin. She writes, speaks, and consults on wine and can be found tilting a glass with various noted celebrities in wine and sports. Have a li...
Jan 19, 2023•1 hr•Season 14Ep. 2
When he landed his first job at the iconic Wine Cask in Santa Barbara, he was asked to stock the fine Burgundy section in order of vineyards from north to south; this is a tough task for an experienced wine academic, let alone a “first day on the job” kinda thing. Everything has its purpose, and this task was the catalyst for his fascination for wine and Burgundy. You will find Mathew engaging, intelligent, and endearing as he admits the money he lost in the wine business and his tremendous succ...
Jan 17, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 14Ep. 1
Some of you might know that Disneyland has a private club; Club 33. But did you know of the club named 21 Royale? In what was to be Walt Disney's apartment? and could be the most expensive restaurant in the country...and by all accounts, an experience worth the expense.
Jan 12, 2023•1 hr 14 min
Sandra and I recently had dinner with famed director, David Zucker and all we did was laugh and talk about the future and what is in store. As he is preparing to release a new book, on the making of the movie Airplane, I thought it would be nice to get a glimpse of David from our last podcast. Sometimes we only see celebrities as they are after success, but they are just as human as you and I with compelling stories to tell. You will find it entertaining, interesting, and eye-raising. Enjoy....
Jan 11, 2023•48 min
Season 13 has come to a close and we could not be more excited for our upcoming 14th season! This past season, we had the privilege of hearing from a variety of guests; Liam D'Arcy, who effectively calls himself the wine "idiot"; Kira Ballotta, a learned woman and her wines reflect a matureness toward winemaking; winemaker Dr. Robert Hollander, who was diagnosed with incurable prostate cancer; and many more! One important subject swirling around is the emerging awareness of raising the inclusion...
Jan 06, 2023•7 min•Season 13Ep. 21
When you listen to Kira speak about wine, you realize that there is still real passion out there in our industry. Winemaking is about passion or it is just work. Kira brings a whole new level of articulation in describing her approach and knowledge about wine. It is so important to understand the history of wine to get an appreciation for how you should go about your trek through this world. She clearly has done her homework and is fashioning a style and approach that I have never tasted. Have a...
Dec 29, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 13Ep. 20
